Belarus and Kazakhstan launch joint task force to combat rising cybercrimeBelarus and Kazakhstan have established an international investigative and operational task force to tackle the escalating issue of cybercrime. The initiative was announced during a meeting between Belarus’s Investigative Committee, led by First Deputy Chairman Oleg Shandarovich, and Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General Berik Asylov.The decision comes in response to a sharp increase in cybercrimes, with many cases involving the same criminal groups operating across both countries. Notably, a significant portion of these crimes involves financial theft, with stolen funds often being transferred directly to banks in Kazakhstan."The number of such cases has surged dramatically in recent years—from just five instances seven years ago to over 1,000 cases in 2024. This upward trend shows no signs of slowing," stated Belarusian authorities.Sergey Gamko, Deputy Head of the Digital Development Department for Preliminary Investigation at Belarus's Investigative Committee, has been appointed to lead the task force. Belarusian officials emphasized their commitment to strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan in criminal law enforcement, particularly in combating cybercrime.In addition to the task force, the two nations have reported a significant rise in requests for international legal assistance. In 2021, Belarusian investigators submitted 65 such requests to Kazakhstan, a number that skyrocketed to 1,080 in the past year. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX